Environmental Impact Assessment EIA DOMAINS OF ENVIRONMENT Physical

Environmental Impact Assessment EIA

DOMAINS OF ENVIRONMENT Physical Ecological Socio-economic • Air • Water • Land • Flora • Fauna • Social • Economic • Cultural 2

ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS The need for a systematic method of evaluating the environmental effects of a project or a plan has been recognized for several decades. Environmental impact assessment, EIA, was introduced as a means to accomplish this in the USA in the early 1970 s. Since then EIA has been applied to projects and plans of various scales. It is used in local projects and development, but also for regional and even global issues. The process is formally sanctioned by a legislative or bureaucratic framework set within a national and local policy context. These policies influence the character and direction of the EIA process in a given country and a given setting. 3

TYPES OF EA’S o Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) o Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) o Environmental Audit o Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) o Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) 4

AIMS OF IMPACT ASSESSMENT There are different aims of assessment that will influence the choice of method and the scope of the study. The aim is dependent on who is the user as well as on the use of the result. Some of the aims may be regarded as: o Project Development o Development Control o Plan Development o Policy Development 5

Environmental Impact Assessment EIA WHAT IS EIA? An important procedure for ensuring that the likely effects of new development on the environment are fully understood and taken into account before the development is allowed to go ahead 6

What EIA can do? Modify and improve design Ensure efficient resource use Enhance social aspects Identify measures for monitoring and managing impacts • Inform decision-making • Provide justification for a proposal • • 7

ROLES/PARTICIPANTS IN EIA o Environmental scientist o Sociologist o Member of local community o Consultant o Planner o Politician o Ecologist o Economist 8

ROLES/PARTICIPANTS IN EIA There roles include: - To predict impacts or effects - To organize overall EIA - To scrutinize the products - To ensure the legislation is used correctly - To make decisions - To advise decision-makers - To observe the workings of various parts of the process - To scrutinize follow-up processes - To protect community values - To protect fauna and flora - To promote sustainable development 9

Origin of EIA in Pakistan • EIA was first introduced in Pakistan through Pakistan Environmental Protection Ordinance (PEPO) 1983. • The EIA process was strengthened under Section 12 of Pakistan Environment Protection Act (PEPA), 1997 • Guidelines were prepared with a thorough consultative process with the stakeholders • Initial Environmental Examination IEE/EIA Regulations, 2000 notified. 10

Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 • Penalties • Upto One Million Rupees (Rs 10, 000) with a daily penalty of Rs 100, 000 • Environmental Tribunals • Judge • National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) • Arrest Warrants 11

List of Projects Requiring IEE/EIA Agriculture, livestock and fisheries, etc. Energy Manufacturing and processing Mining and mineral processing Transport Water management, dams, irrigation and flood protection • Waste Disposal • Urban development and tourism • Environmentally sensitive areas • • • 12

Description of a Project • Type of project • Need for project • Location (use maps showing general location, specific location, project boundary and project site layout) • Size or magnitude of operation including any associated activities required by or for the project • Proposed schedule for approval and implementation • Description of the project including drawings showing project layout, components of project, etc. This information should be of the same type and extent as is included in feasibility reports for proposed projects, in order to give a clear picture of the project and its operations. 13

EIA processes in sequences of application • • • Project Screening Scoping Baseline Data Collection Identification of Environmental Impacts Impact Prediction Comparison of Alternatives Mitigation Measures Public Consultation and Participation Environmental Monitoring Environmental Auditing 14

EIA Flow Chart 15

Screening • Important to establish mechanisms by identifying projects which requires EIA, and this process of selection of project is referred to as "Screening“ 16

Project Scoping • Scoping is to determine what should be the coverage or scope of the EIA study for a project proposal as having potentially significant environmental impacts. 17

Baseline Data Collection • Baseline information is important reference point for conducting EIA. • The term "baseline" refers to the collection of background information on the biophysical, social and economic settings proposed project area. Baseline data are collected for two main purposes: • To provide a description of the status and trends of environmental factors (e. g. , air pollutant concentrations) against which predicted changes can be compared and evaluated in terms of importance, and • To provide a means of detecting actual change by monitoring once a project has been initiated 18

Identification of Environmental Impacts • Biological and Physio chemical Impacts • Social Impact • (demographic impacts, socio-economic institutional impacts, gender impact) impacts, • Cultural Impacts • Health Impact • Economic Impact • (labor force requirements, size of investment, likely demographic changes) 19

Impact Prediction Comparison of Alternatives Considerations for Impact Prediction • Magnitude of Impact • Extent of Impact • Duration of Impact Uncertainty in Impact Prediction 20

Comparison of Alternatives • Qualitative approach • Quantitative approach • Ranking, rating or scaling approach • Weightingranking/rating/scaling approach 21

ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES 1. No Project Option 2. Location/Alignment Alternatives 3. Process/Design Alternatives 4. Demand/Activity Alternatives 5. Scheduling Alternatives 6. Input Alternatives 22

Lahore Sports City (Site Screening Criteria) • • • Accessibility Land use and Land availability Aesthetics Water Availability Potential of Infrastructure Development Environmental and Social Issues 23

Site Options 24

Key elements for assessing impact significance • Ecological • Social and Economical • effects on plant and animal habitat • rare and endangered species • ecosystem resilience, sensitivity, bio-diversity and carrying capacity • viability of local species populations • effects on human health and safety • potential loss of species with current or potential value, or commercially available production (farmland) • recreational or aesthetic value • demands on public resources such as social service • demands on transportation and other infrastructures • demographic effects • Environmental Standards 25

Mitigation Measures • Recommended actions to reduce, avoid or offset the potential adverse environmental consequences of development activities • Maximize project benefits • Minimize undesirable impacts 26

Mitigation Measures • Mitigation measures requires funding • Mitigation measures should be integrated in the project design • Mitigation measures is not limited to one point in the EIA process • Link between mitigation and monitoring 27

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN The EMP involves o Cost and benefit analysis of measures (to know environmental losses and gains in terms of economic costs and benefits) o Institutional Framework for implementing mitigation measures o Identification of training needs and resources or implantation o Developing system of monitoring 28

DOCUMENTATION That is preparing the EIA Report keeping in view the statutory requirements and describing the work done. 29

Public Consultation and Participation • • Local people Project beneficiaries NGOs Voluntary organizations Private sector National/local governments Scientist/experts Private sector 30

Methods for stakeholder involvement • • • Public meetings Advisory panels Public information centers Interviews Questionnaires Participatory Appraisal techniques 31

Environmental Monitoring • An activity undertaken to provide specific information on the characteristics and functions of environmental and social variables in space and time Environmental monitoring is therefore one of the most important components of an EIA • Ensuring that impacts do not exceed the legal standards • Checking the implementation of mitigation measures in the manner described in the EIA report • Providing early warning of potential environmental damages 32

Environmental Auditing • • • An audit assess the actual environmental impact The accuracy of prediction The effectiveness of environmental impact mitigation Enhancement measures The functioning of monitoring mechanisms 33

Environmental Auditing Plan • Condition of natural/social/economical resources prior to project implementation • Mitigation measures implemented are effective to control adverse impact • Degraded landscape have been restored into original condition • Effect on the local economy of project implementation 34

Strategic Environment Assessment SEA

Strategic Environmental Assessment SEA • Social Impact Assessment (SIA) • Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) • Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) 36

EIA SEA Applied to specific and relatively short-term (lifecycle) projects and their specifications Applied to policies, plans and programs with broad, long-term strategic perspective Takes place at early stage of project planning once parameters are set Ideally, takes place at an early stage in strategic planning Considers limited range of project alternatives Considers a broad range of alternative scenarios Usually prepared and/or funded by the project proponents Conducted independently of any specific project proponent Focus on obtaining project permission, and rarely with feedback to policy, plan or program consideration Focus on decision on policy, plan and program implications for future lower-level decisions Well-defined, linear process with clear beginning and Multi-stage, iterative process with feedback loops end Preparation of an EIA document with prescribed format and contents is usually mandatory. This document provides a baseline reference for monitoring May not be formally documented Limited review of cumulative impacts, often limited to phases of a specific project. Does not cover regional-scale developments or multiple projects Inherently incorporates consideration of cumulative impacts 37